Altering of time clocks denied in court

Press, 26 August 1982, Page 4

Altering of time clocks denied in court

A boilermaker-welder who used to work as a subcontractor because he preferred working early mornings told the Arbitration Court in Christchurch yesterday that others in the Addington workshop fraudently altered their time-clock cards. Michael James Shanks, a defence witness, said that two workers had access to a key for the time clock and they used to wind the clock back and punch the time cards to make it seem they had worked longer. The evidence was given in the Arbitration Court in a .claim brought by .the Inspector of Awards against Mr P. F. Bull. The inspector, represented by Mr Bi? J. Banks, sought arrears in wages totalling $3510 on behalf of

Christopher John Harley. Mr R. J. MoMurtrie appeared for Mr Bull. The Arbitration Court comprised Chief Judge J. R. P. Horn and Messrs D. Jacobs and J. B. Walton. The hearing was adjourned partheard to today. Mr Shanks said that Mr Harley was one of the two men who had the key. He said that between 10 and 30 hours a week were clocked in fraudulently by a group of about four workers. Earlier, in cross-examina-tion, Mr Harley denied having a key to the time clock and denied that he clocked in time which he did not work. Information given to a Labour Department investigator about working 50 to 60 hours a w r eek was from his memory, he said.

Mr Harley sought wage arrears and holiday pay for the period from October 17, 1977, to February 1, T 979, while he was at Mr Bull’s business, Sea Gear 1976. Mr Bull had a contract to repair sea freighters from the Union Steam Ship Company. Mr Banks submitted that the relationship between Mr Harley and Mr Bull was that i of master and servant, not principal and independent contractor. In his opening submissions, . Mr McMurtrie, had sought suppression of evidence which-he said would be produced about threats being made against a number of witnesses. This evidence was ordered by the Court to be suppressed in the interim, i .